


Anchor in the Stars

by buttercupshadows



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Brief mention of Shiro's illness, Encouragement, First Meetings, Gen, Lance just wants Shiro to believe in himself, M/M, Mentioned Keith (Voltron), Past Adam/Shiro (Voltron), Post-Break Up, Pre-Canon, Pre-Kerberos Mission, Regret, Short One Shot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-16
Updated: 2020-08-16
Packaged: 2021-03-05 21:29:06
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,243
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25942147
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/buttercupshadows/pseuds/buttercupshadows
Summary: Shiro needs a little help coming to terms with his and Adam's breakup. Luckily, a scrappy pilot-in-training is there to help.
Relationships: Adam & Shiro (Voltron), Keith & Shiro (Voltron), Lance & Shiro (Voltron)
Comments: 2
Kudos: 25





	Anchor in the Stars

**Author's Note:**

> Hi, everyone!
> 
> I've been in the Voltron fandom for about two years and decided it was time to post a fic. It's my first time posting any fic, so I wanted to start off small. This one-shot is my way of exploring the dynamic of the Adashi relationship. I have nothing against Adam, and this fic is not meant to bash him. It's simply one possible interpretation of a relationship we saw little of in canon, as well as a way to rationalize both Shiro's and Adam's perspectives through Shiro's point of view and give Shiro some closure before Kerberos.
> 
> Also, I personally headcanon Shiro as 19/20 when they first set out for Kerberos (four years older than Keith) rather than his creator-confirmed age, but it's not important to the story.
> 
> Enjoy!

Breakups sucked. That’s all Shiro could say. It wasn’t even a bad one, necessarily, or maybe it was. How would he know? He wasn’t used to being on the receiving end.

Keith blamed Adam. He said Adam should have stayed with him whether he went to Kerberos or not. Said that getting engaged was a commitment to better and worse and in sickness and health by itself. The marriage would only seal the deal. Shiro had to wonder.

_Am I wrong?_

His parents never said it, but they agreed with Adam. His health _was_ deteriorating, and the only medications and devices keeping him alive were things he couldn’t take to space with him. They all wanted him safe and healthy.

But piloting into space – becoming an _astronaut_ and exploring the stars – was his dream. How could any of them hold him back from that?

_“Takashi, how important am I to you?”_

That’s what it all boiled down to, wasn’t it? Shiro had to decide whether Adam or space was more important. He’d needed to decide between a slightly longer life with his ex and a possibly shorter one exploring the unknown.

_What is life without living?_

But what was life without love?

_Asking me to choose is not love. It’s an ultimatum._ If Shiro hated anything, it was people pushing him into things against his will. _How can he claim to love me if he’s fine leaving me?_

_He’s just worried about you._ Some part of Shiro knew that. That was the part that had trouble letting go. They’d gone through so much together. They’d laughed and cried together. They’d graduated the Garrison together. They’d practically adopted a teenager together.

_Has Keith even met Adam?_

Shiro blinked as he realized that, no, the teen he thought of as a brother had never been over when Adam was there. They mostly met each other outside of the barracks anyway, when Shiro worked on his bike or Keith got into trouble. Adam and Keith knew about each other, but their only interest in each other stemmed from their individual attachments to Shiro.

_And Adam wasn’t exactly pleased with me sticking my neck out for a delinquent._

Shiro could still hear the other’s exasperated displeasure as he sheepishly explained his decision to invite the kid that stole his car into the Garrison.

_“He won’t fit in here, Takashi. And does he deserve it after taking your car for a joyride?”_

_“He needs support, Adam. You should have seen him in the simulator. With talent like that, I can’t wait to see him in an actual-”_

_“What he_ needs _is help. The Garrison is the last place for a discipline case.”_

He never regretted not listening. Would he regret choosing space?

Shiro was so caught up in his thoughts, that he didn’t notice anyone approaching his bench. It was rare to find anyone else there in the afternoon. While the Garrison’s desert surroundings left little privacy outside of the buildings, an old general had commissioned a small garden for desert-plants on the outskirts of the barracks. Shiro liked the solitude the green hedges and large cacti provided in general, and the afternoon heat kept others from bothering him if he wanted to be alone. Or so he thought.

“Oh, sorry. I just-” The teen froze, staring wide-eyed at Shiro.

_Great._ Why had the Garrison had to give out those stupid posters? Just because Shiro was their youngest pilot, that didn’t mean he should – or even wanted to – be famous.

He ignored the boy’s gaping and stood to leave. “It’s alright. I was going in anyway.”

“I-You’re-”

Before Shiro could shuffle past the brunet – he really didn’t have the emotional energy to entertain him – the boy regained verbal function.

“You’re my hero!” he shouted.

Shiro sighed as the brunet began stuttering embarrassed apologies. He was everyone’s hero. Everyone wanted to be him because he was handsome, had a talent for his hobbies, and was seemingly irreproachable. If the brunet knew some of the things Shiro had done in his life, he wouldn’t be so admiring.

“You should be your own hero.”

Whatever excuses the other had been spouting froze in his mouth. “I- what?”

“You should be your own hero. I’m not a good role-model.” He unconsciously rubbed his right wrist. It didn’t hurt, but it had become a nervous habit.

“What are you talking about?” The brunet stared at him, accusing. “You’re awesome! You’re Takashi Shirogane! The youngest pilot in the Garrison?! You’re about to be sent on a mission into space!”

Before Shiro could interject, the brunet kept going.

“And not just that! You saw your goal, made your decision, and worked toward it! You’re dedicated and nice and- and awesome! You came here all the way from Japan and made your dreams come true, and you help everyone else do the same! You even got on _Keith’s_ good side, and that guy’s definitely a hard nut to crack.”

Shiro froze so completely that he couldn’t breathe. No one, outside of his parents, had ever mentioned those as accomplishments of his. Not even Adam. Everyone assumed his pilot skills were inborn. They never thought that he’d stayed up hours every night before his first year at the Garrison and after to study everything he could about flying and planes. No one gave him anything but flack for his continued support of Keith. And his nice and patient reputation? Everyone took that for granted. They knew he was nice, so they never thought to compliment him on it. They knew he was patient, but they never asked what led him to that point, assuming it was just in his character.

When he could breathe again, he truly looked at the brunet. The boy looked about Keith’s age – probably was, given his comments about Keith. He was tall and had blue eyes, brown hair, and tanned skin – Latino, going by his accent – and he stared at Shiro as if daring him to disagree with that assessment.

This teenager he didn’t know had just summed up his entire character in one, short conversation, and Shiro finally realized why he and Adam were better off apart.

“What’s your name?”

All of the boy’s confidence slipped away. He shuffled in place, clearly embarrassed. “Uh… Lance McClain. Sir!”

To Shiro’s amusement, Lance saluted. All of that, and now he was following protocol?

“Well, thank you, Lance. I needed to hear that.”

Shiro left Lance there, gaping at his back like a fish. He didn’t need the solitude anymore. He was finally convinced of his choice. Shiro was a dreamer. He’d always been one. He always reached up and away and made things happen for himself and other people. Adam wasn’t.

That wasn’t to say that Adam didn’t have dreams. He did. He just preferred to stay logical, to remain on the ground and do what he could for himself. Adam was also very internal, not bothering with the affairs of others when they wouldn’t affect him.

Shiro needed a reacher. He needed someone to come with him to the stars. Adam could only be an anchor, so the last people they needed was each other. Knowing that, Shiro could never regret leaving Adam to go to space. He could never regret chasing his dreams or freeing Adam from a life of ceaseless worry. Soon enough, they'd both find people who complemented them as they were, and they'd be much happier for it.


End file.
